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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-30-2010 09:15 PM

302 Z28

Another vote for the step drill, and also for The Drill Doctor. I don't buy drill bits any longer since I got a Drill Doctor for Christmas, unless I break one.

Vince

03-30-2010 08:10 PM

Old Fool

Like others have stated, for common size holes drilled in light gauge metal you cannot beat a good step drill IMHO.

03-29-2010 05:15 PM

brucer69

i'm a tool &die maker by trade for the past 20 years.

i would recommend either cleveland or precision twist drills in cobalt. you'll pay more for the cobalt drills but they are far better than the regular high speed steel drills..

and a drill doctor can be your friend if you cant hand sharpen drills.

03-29-2010 11:27 AM

deidrea8

you can try ****** They seem to always have everything I need for home improvement.

05-28-2009 06:54 PM

trees

My son just sent me a Drill Dr and it is a great tool. This one has a diamond wheel so it will handle HS, Carbide, Cobalt and Titainium. Unfortunately, I do not have the eyes to do the job the tool is capable of, but it sure beats what I can do on a grinder. Guess I will have to invest in a lighted magnifier now.

Trees

05-13-2009 02:37 PM

1ownerT

Some of the best I have found are the Crown Point bits from Lawson Products, pricey though.

05-13-2009 12:15 PM

bentwings

Ha ha Vince I was going to suggest a Drill Doctor too. I did my time in the machine shop and learned to sharpen drills early on. It is nice to have a dead perfect drill when you need it however.

The Unibits work great for most butchering jobs and the "long" drills will finish off the hole in thicker metal. (correct spelling)

05-13-2009 06:51 AM

schnitz

Great post, Chuck.

In a while, Chet.

05-13-2009 12:49 AM

4 Jaw Chuck

I have a complete set of Cleveland drills in letter, fractional and number in a nice box. Cost me $180 for the whole set back 15 years ago.

I also have numerous sets of cheap drills that get used around the house when I don't want to risk breaking my Clevland drills such as drywall and woodwork etc. I don't think I have a single drill that hasn't been resharpened a hundred times, all done on a bench grinder by hand.

Without exception the cheap drills lose their hardness the farther you grind back, the Cleveland drills are hard all the way to the hilt. There is a time and place for all these drill bits in my box but when it comes time to drill a hole within 0.001" size in a material like 416 SS or 245 tool steel I don't bother with the cheap drills.

I guess what I am trying to say is most people don't need a drill bit like the Cleveland all the time, but when it comes time to modify one for use as an "old school" reamer I wouldn't even attempt such a thing with a cheap drill. The machine shops I worked in all used Cleveland drills, some even switched over when they seen how well they hold an edge when they seen the work mine could produce all day long.

The biggest problem is most people have no clue on how to use a drill bit properly or how to resharpen them and the risk of breakage is high, not a place for a $7 drill. One thing is for sure I have never seen an off center ground drill from Cleveland, they have exceptional quality control.

I have a cheap chinese set of fractional drills that look just horrible, the flutes look almost rough cast. However they are really tough and take abuse like no other drill I have ever used and just don't break. They get used for things like maganese castings that are full of scale and sand inclusions because they are so durable. For the same job the Cleveland drill would chip and possibly break.

There is a time and place for everything, just like life.

05-13-2009 12:07 AM

schnitz

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldred

Actually those things are almost comical, I had a guy show me the set he bought and half the things were not even straight and would wobble!

Almost makes me wonder which is worse. Those bits, or the 10 screwdrivers for $3.99 weekly special.......

In a while, Chet.

05-12-2009 10:12 PM

oldred

Quote:

Originally Posted by schnitz

True, but you do have to admit that a HF set (buddy of mine from maintenance bought them) is absolute JUNK.
In a while, Chet.

Actually those things are almost comical, I had a guy show me the set he bought and half the things were not even straight and would wobble!

05-12-2009 04:17 PM

schnitz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin45

You can get cheaper bits or you can get expensive bits, but if you don't know the material(s) that you are drilling or the speeds and pressure you should be drilling at, then that $7.00 bit isn't any better than that $1.59 bit. I've stood and watched guys burn up bit after bit on a piece of stainless and I showed them how to go through it with a cheap bit. A Drill Doctor and a cheaper set of drills can last for years.

True, but you do have to admit that a HF set (buddy of mine from maintenance bought them) is absolute JUNK. His set was the "high end" from them, and honestly, you could drill a hole in your foot trying to drill a hole in a wall. We could tilt a slab in the shop to a 45 degree angle, and the bit would slide, not roll, off it. I have a few Irwin bits, a set of DeWalt, and a set of Craftsman Split Point bits. So far, so good. Except the occasional 1/8" I break.....

In a while, Chet.

05-12-2009 04:04 PM

Kevin45

You can get cheaper bits or you can get expensive bits, but if you don't know the material(s) that you are drilling or the speeds and pressure you should be drilling at, then that $7.00 bit isn't any better than that $1.59 bit. I've stood and watched guys burn up bit after bit on a piece of stainless and I showed them how to go through it with a cheap bit. A Drill Doctor and a cheaper set of drills can last for years.

05-10-2009 11:08 PM

4 Jaw Chuck

Cleveland drills are the best drills I have ever used...period. They are expensive for a reason.

05-10-2009 05:08 PM

302 Z28

I bought a Drill Doctor and quit buying drill bits.

Vince

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